As week 3 begins, remember to stay focused on Jesus and His Kingdom. The longer the fast continues, the more the enemy will try to take your focus from Him and turn it toward yourself. As long as you are focused on yourself, the enemy has an opportunity to make you stumble. Continuously look to Jesus, and receive all the strength, hope, and life that He has for you!

If you have not come to know this already, we are all very weak and fleshly creatures. A little matter of giving up some food and sleep for just over a month should not be that big of a deal. However, we are truly creatures of comfort from our very birth. We want what we want, and it becomes a big problem when we cannot have it. Suddenly, our small things become huge, and minor irritations become major problems.

For years, we have strengthened our flesh by giving it whatever it wants. It is like a spoiled little child used to getting whatever it asks for. When one simple comfort is removed, it becomes the worst issue imaginable. Even people around you that do not know you are fasting may notice a change. You may become quicker to lose your temper or react negatively to minor inconveniences especially at the beginning of a fast. By the beginning of the fast, I mean the first 39 days of The 40, if you are me. These the times we discover our true need for Jesus.

2 Corinthians 12:9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

We need the strength of Jesus not the strength of self. He did the hard part so we would not have to. No matter how strong you may think that you are, Jesus proved Himself to be stronger. Jesus easily defeated hell, death, and the grave. We should be so close to Jesus at this time, because we are walking in His strength and not our own. It is okay for me to be weak because, now, He can show Himself strong in me. I rest in the fact that if Jesus is my strength when I am weak, He can use me no matter how I feel.

Several years ago, God allowed me to travel to Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu, India. Here, God privileged me to minister in different ways to the Tamil people of the region. My friend Sage and I stayed in a building above a church and orphanage. While here, we were asked to do a program for the boys that lived in the building that were between the ages of 4 and 12. As we prayed on what we were to do, my friend heard Holy Spirit say that we were supposed to teach on and pray to break off generational curses. I was very unsure about that. I have helped my mother minister to children many times and that was not something we had ever done before. Frankly, most adults would not even be comfortable receiving such a teaching.

One of my gifts is teaching and speaking the word so I agreed to teach on this and let my friend lead the ministry, prayer, and application of the word, more his specialty. What proceeded was what seemed to be one of the most difficult, dry, devoid of Holy Spirit teachings I have ever given in my life. It felt like a very forced, difficult struggle that was going nowhere. As I taught, I had the thought that if I was sitting there, I would have probably fallen asleep. After I had finished the teaching, Sage began to pray and minister breaking off generational curses. Suddenly, something happened that is caught on video.

By this time, probably an hour and a half from when Sage started praying for them, the ladies had come and were trying to awaken them and get them up to go eat dinner. This is about 45 minutes after they have been directed to go eat that they are staying and crying out to God to continue to do what He is doing. The entire time this is taking place, I am completely astounded because I do not feel The Holy Spirit moving in the slightest way.I am seeing an astounding move of Holy Spirit with my very eyes, not the least of which is young boys refusing to eat just so they can get more of what God has to offer, and i am still feeling completely nothing. To this day, all I know is that we were obedient, and God did the work. I had nothing to do with it. All glory goes to Him and Him alone.

Jesus, I thank you that Your power is made manifest through me as I yield my weak, lowly, humble frame to You. Use me for Your glory and Your purpose for of myself, I can do nothing.

Practical –

Acknowledge your weakness

Ask Holy Spirit to minister God’s strength to you in your weakness

Yield yourself to be used by Him, even in your weakness

Be obedient to whatever He calls you to do

Be blessed to know your need for God and place yourself in His hands. May you be used no matter how weak or insignificant you may feel.

Recently, I was in a deep moment of worship and intercession with the Lord and was listening to a prayer set from a prayer room in our region. They began to pray and intercede for the launching of a global missions movement and prayed specifically over the nation of India. While praying myself, a song came forth from a deep place in the Spirit:

On the breath of the four winds, here come the flames| flames of fire, Your servantsto bring You a song, bring You a song, bring You a song of praiseThey’re singing: Come on in, come on in|it’s time to ascendto the hill of the Lord|to seek His face like never beforeUpon this rock, I’ll establish a house|a house of praise for all your daysCan you hear them singing?|Come on in, come on in, it’s time to ascend

In this place, I was caught up in a vision to a place that I have been once before five years ago. I was in a dark room that was as if it was a negative space, like it was fully dark. When I glanced to the left, I saw an architect desk lit with an overhead lamp and Jesus was sitting at it. I walked over to Him from behind and He glanced back, smiled at me, and motioned me over with a nod; inviting me into His work space and in on what He was working on. Looking at the desk, I saw a large blueprint sheet with an outline of the nation of India. He held a pen in His hand and He was drawing on the nation.

Photo: Yuliyan Velchev

It was unclear to me at first what He was doing, so I asked Him what He was working on and He said,

“I am overthrowing governments and kingdoms. Many will come toppling down; and I will build My House upon their ground. Governments built upon unstable foundations will crumble down, every power and principality in opposition to Me will follow suit and bow down to Me. I am more powerful than every single entity and worthless idol residing over the nation. Soon, you will see them fall down and all will see Me as the One Who alone is God!”

Jesus then began drawing some more and there were three locations that stuck out on the picture of the nation. When I looked, I saw that the three places were north-central, west-central, and south-centrally located. I asked Him what it meant and He replied,

“A cord of three strands is not easily broken; and a unified body yields great power. I am about to shake things right-side up and the masses will see My glory as I tear down every idol opposed to Me. Watch as I destroy that which glorifies another and see as I establish high places in which the lost may come into My family. Yes, the orphans will find a home. I am raising up those who will establish and implement My values and principles in a nation that was once far from Me, but has turned to Me. You will remember the time so long ago in which My Truth was first received by you and you will honor it as a memorial across your land.

“As I uproot evil within your government, I will remove from power those in which have exploited your poor for riches’ gain; for I hate exploitation of My children. Every offering made to idols will return void as your carved images topple to the ground in pieces! This will be the sign of a divine purge taking place across the whole of the land.

“You will see a rise in the value of your rupees as I bring into play a front-runner to govern your nation. He will be a man you have not known and many will find themselves saying, ‘Who is this man? Where has he come from? He has risen from the low places and yet he has prestige and speaks with great power and authority.’ I have been at work within his heart and I have been creating a hunger and desire for Me within him.

“A righteous indignation will arise within him towards glory given to idols and he will begin in partnership with Me, to eradicate your land of enemy strongholds. It will be so foreign to you, for you have not seen such pure and righteous actions in ages.

“Curiosity will begin to sweep across the land at the power behind it. The saying, ‘curiosity killed the cat’, will carry a dual meaning; it will be a paradox. To the curious, they will receive life where they were once headed straight for death’s doors. The only cat dying here will be satan as his grip on the souls of this land are ripped from his hands, and he is sent plummeting to the pit.

Ganges River Photo: N/A

“You will see life begin to spring forth from the soil of your land like never before. Where there were once dry bones littering your land, you will see a mass burial of all that has displayed death. Watch as the unthinkable takes place, where your waters were once polluted with death, a supernatural cleansing will come forth, bringing new life and restoration. You will drink of the well of salvation and of the rivers of living water and you will never thirst again!”

Isaiah 56:7 (NLT)I will bring them to My holy mountain of Jerusalem and will fill them with joy in My house of prayer. I will accept their burnt offerings and sacrifices, because My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations.

Haggai 2:21-23 (MSG)God’s Message came a second time to Haggai on that most memorable day, the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month: “Speak to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah: ‘I am about to shake up everything, to turn everything upside down and start over from top to bottom—overthrow governments, destroy foreign powers, dismantle the world of weapons and armaments, throw armies into confusion, so that they end up killing one another. And on that day’—this is God’s Message—’I will take you, O Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, as My personal servant and I will set you as a signet ring, the sign of My sovereign presence and authority. I’ve looked over the field and chosen you for this work.’” The Message of God-of-the-Angel-Armies.

It has been one year since Katie and I returned from our amazing adventures, one year since Gibsons Go Global officially started. It seems like it was just yesterday, but at the same time it seems like a lifetime ago. No one could have prepared us for what God called us to do. It was definitely a learning process God was teaching us and training us along the way as He does with all of those who are walking in obedience.

In New York, we learned the importance of the one and the power of prayer. God sent us there for one person — my friend Zach and to pray for the city. Would God send us to the largest city in the US to minister to one person and pray??? Was anyone else in that city able to do what we did???

New York City skyline

When we arrived in Norway, our perception of what would happen was slightly different. We focused heavily on the one, Kjetil, and this led us to be able to minister to a small home group of six. Here, we learned the importance of spiritual heritage, and that we cannot sit back and wait for the enemy to attack. We must press forward in our Godly heritage as warriors to take back the land of the enemy that rightfully belongs to the Son who bought it with His sacrifice.

House Church Fun in Norway

The invitation to Scotland came out of nowhere, but God was ready to put us to work with Gary and Vanessa Irvine. Here, we learned that the light of God was shining all over the world and the importance of coming together in unity to accomplish the work of the Lord!!! We were able to see even more clearly, the global revival that God is positioning His people to carry out.

Praying at Stirling House of Prayer in Scotland

Already having several contacts in England, we quickly launched into many diverse ministries out of more than three different churches. Vicar Robert and Pastor Sam set us up to be able to minister in prison, on the streets, in churches, prophetic conferences, pastors meetings, pray for healings, and prayer walk the city. We also developed some key lifelong relationships and learned the value of creating family in foreign cultures.

Cell Group in Newcastle, England

Returning to Spain where we first started our courtship was amazing for a rest and reconnecting with each other and good friends like Pastor Alfredo, Danny, and Jose Maria. Even here, we learned how God was moving like a wind across the land bringing revival. We got the privilege of sharing words in several churches, groups, and youth in various settings.

Don Quixote in Madrid, Spain

An unexpected trip to Kosovo yielded some great time to rest and refresh and yet here, God was still teaching and molding us for things to come. We learned of the true power of forgiveness and restoration and the value of perseverance to see the fruit that God is bringing forth. We did less ministry here, but got the opportunity to encourage and pray for several missionaries and a local pastor Imir.

With friends in Kosovo

Our trip to India yielded the most visible fruit. Prakash hosted us and setup ministry and invited us to minister with other visiting teams. We returned to be with Pastor Daniel and teach a YWAM DTS as well as a gathering of pastors in his hometown. God even allowed us to travel to the far Northeast and meet Maremi and minister to the Miso people. God opened blind eyes, set people free, and healed and saved so many people.

Worship in northeast Aizawl, India

Preaching at a leper colony in Dharmapuri, India

It was difficult getting into Cambodia, but God had us here during the hottest season to speak to Both’s church and encourage the leaders at the YWAM base in Batambang. It was great returning here and being able to give back once again to the Khmer people and missionaries alike.

With Pastor Timothy and his wife in Battambang, Cambodia

Australia was our last foreign place to visit and here God was continuing to teach us and train for what was to come. We got to minister to a deeply spiritual people and speak truth to many who had strange spiritual concepts. We were able to minister with Kevin and YWAM Byron Bay as well as encourage some new friends in Brisbane before our trip home.

Serving the community of Byron Bay, Australia

Returning to the US, we did not stop ministering as we stopped in Hawaii to see old friends in YWAM and speak life to family near San Francisco. One year ago today, we finally returned home.

Friends in Kona, Hawaii

Family in California

Now, we are waiting. After so much teaching, training, and growing that God did in us, we are ready to spread the fire of revival even more. We have continued in every way that we can. Speaking to family, friends, churches, and even strangers about how awesome our God is. God has opened some doors, but we desire to be used so much more. Now, we are waiting, but definitely not idle. It is hard to be idle with an eight week old, but even now God is using him to open doors to minister.

We do not know what is next or what doors are opening to us as you may not either, and that is okay. I encourage you to be faithful to God and continue to use everything you have to serve Him. Give yourself completely to Him, grow in the waiting time, and He will do the work to propel you into all that He has for you!!!

Although we may not be doing as much big and showy ministry and going all over the world as we were last year, we have not slacked off in pursuing what God has for us right here and right now. Even during this time of waiting, we are positioning ourselves with key people and partnering with ministries that are accomplishing the work of the Lord.

One of the ministries we enjoy immensely and have been helping with the most is Encounter God’s Presence. We have been a part of this incredible ministry since it began in 2012 and have seen God move in mighty ways. It has recently grown to be more than just a youth summer camp and annual leadership retreat. Numerous youth rallies, events, and weekly worship gatherings have sprung forth, and we have been delighted to participate and be a part of the leadership here, where God is moving.

Katie speaking at Encounter God’s Presence Camp

As we were helping with this ministry, we were given the opportunity to speak at last year’s youth summer camp, only one week after we had returned from our 9 month-long missions journey around the world. We were able to share about what God did in us and through us and what we experienced. In addition to this, Jeremiah shared a word of encouragement that the Lord gave him for the youth, “The Word and the Conflict.” Here is the video of our testimony and encouragement that you can take for yourself today. May the Lord speak to you in mighty ways and encourage you to boldly walk in deeper obedience to the Word He gives you, overcoming all conflict that the enemy would like to bring!

Also, we would like to invite you and all youth in the DFW area to be a part of the great things the Lord is doing through Encounter: area youth rallies, weekly worship nights, or youth summer camp (June 22nd-26th). Check out the link below or message us to get more details. We would love to have you join us!!!

The Lord has brought Jeremiah and I on a long journey this past year and a half since we got married. A journey that has forever marked us and set us on a path of no return, a wild and crazy adventure to be discovered. This odyssey brought along with it extreme stretching and growth, an increase in reliance on God, joy, tears, adventure, fun, excitement, hardships, and more than can be expressed in words on paper (or in a blog.) Because of our diligence and obedience, our loving and faithful Father has rewarded us on so many levels and has entrusted us to new and bigger things; the greatest of which is new life. Yes, that’s right, He has made us parents of the most wonderful blessing.

Our little blessing 🙂

Our little gift growing in my womb is the fulfillment of a promise God spoke to me while we were on our 9 month-long faith journey around the world. You see, before Jeremiah and I were married, I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, or PCOS. This means that small cysts form on the ovaries leading to hormonal imbalance. Often insulin resistance leading to diabetes is a result of that. PCOS is incurable and over time can affect a woman’s fertility greatly along with many other life altering consequences including developing uterine cancer, heart disease, atherosclerosis, stroke, etc. Being a woman who is called by God to be a mother, I could have let this greatly discourage me and affect the way I dealt with things, especially since this was the second chronic diagnosis I had received in my life. Instead of settling for what had been spoken over me, I refused and believed the Lord for my healing. Psalm 91:1-3 states, “Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I trust Him. For He will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease.”

I felt that I was supposed to continue taking the medicine the doctor gave me when we left the U.S. I clearly heard the Lord speak to me while we were traveling that I was healed so I would petition Him to stop taking the meds, however each time He told me to continue taking them. At one point, He even told me that He gave me 7 months of the meds purposely and to finish them out, revealing to me that 7 is the number of completion and perfection. From then on, I waited on Him and held that word. We were in India the end of March when I took my last pill and had felt God leading me to pray and fast for myself, believing for my healing. That this would be when I would see my body work properly. During this special time with Him, He revealed to me the gender of our child and the name very clearly, confirming it many times.

Revelation.

I claimed that promise and kept it close to my heart, awaiting the day that it would come to fruition, for one of my deepest desires was to be a mother. I thought it would come quicker than it did, and I would become somewhat discouraged when it didn’t. I am so thankful for my Husband, for he encouraged me every time that God was revealing to me that I really was healed as I saw my body worked perfectly. God only made me wait 3 months to bring His promise about, and interestingly enough, a total of 10 months…perfection of divine order.

I found out I was pregnant when I got back from England in July and we have been more than blessed to see fruit coming forth from God’s promise. And boy, was it a joyful day having my 19 week sonogram revealing that just as He said about 8 months ago, we would be having a sweet baby boy, baby Azariah!!! 🙂 We are overflowing with joy for all that Daddy has in store for our little miracle, for He has already used our child to minister to many people from the womb. This adventure He has us on has only gotten more exciting and adventurous! “For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.” Isaiah 43:19

The month of August was filled with ministry for us not only locally, but globally as well. God continued to use Jeremiah in Spain as well as use Katie to minister in Texas. We pray that you continue to find joy and encouragement as you read about our journey of faith with the Lord. We would love to meet with you personally and share about what the Lord has been doing in our lives as well as what the future entails!!! Please let us know if you would like to get together with us or have us share with those in your ministry!

This past week was a whirlwind. Jeremiah and I set off for England last Monday for his sister, Tiffany’s wedding that was on Saturday. God had already laid out the schedule of what the week would look like prior to us going. We knew that we would be traveling to England, and then on the following Tuesday, I would head home alone while Jeremiah would journey on to Spain to join his father in exploratory missions there and then come home at the start of August. I must say that it is strange not having him by my side, being this is the first time we have been apart since we got married almost 1 year ago…or shall I say since our relationship began. Seeing as we started our courtship the day he left for missions in England and I did not see him for almost 3 months, and afterward was able to be with him some portion of time every day for 10 months until we married. Almost 2 years of being with my Husband every day if not all day. I suppose some would say I’m a little spoiled. However, I look at it as a blessing of the Lord.

Our time in England was full of joy, emotions, excitement, ministry and God appointments. We were able to share with and encourage many different people on the Harpenden YWAM base of the adventures God took us on this past year, as well as praying for a new friend, James. Despite wedding preparations and other things that were taking place, God made it refreshing. The wedding of Tiffany and Bryson, our new brother, was absolutely beautiful and so full of Holy Spirit, even from the rehearsals.

Beautiful Clark Wedding

We were blessed to have our good friend, Carl, from Newcastle drive down and join us at the wedding and then take us up to Newcastle to see old friends. On the way to Newcastle, we stopped by Gateway Christian Centre in Birmingham to see our 17 year old close friend, Stephen, who was missioning there. Pastor Jon Colyer had come twice in the past to the church we attended back home and brought a revival atmosphere to the church. It was great to encourage and pray for Stephen and get to see what God is doing in the church there!

That evening we attended St. Luke’s, the church we had partnered with last time in Newcastle. True to Pastor Robert’s nature, he asked us to come up impromptu to share about our travels since our last time there. I had felt the Lord prompting me to pray for Robert’s ears and He spoke to me that Jesus did not not turn away anyone that came to Him, but healed them all; so with that I was to do an invitation for healing. Jeremiah shared about our travels and then I shared about the healing that took place in India (found in our blogs, Believing Is Seeing!!! and Faith That Brings Healing.) I shared God’s word with Robert and the people, prayed for his ears and gave the invitation. About 10 people came forward for healing and we prayed for them. Each one was receiving their healing and one man, Lenny, said that he felt a healing balm running through his body as I prayed for him for strength in his body as he got older.

Whitley Bay coast

In Acts 11:24, Barnabas is referred to as a “good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith.” The Amplified Bible says he was “full of and controlled by the Holy Spirit”. The Message says that he was “enthusiastic and confident in the Holy Spirit’s ways. The community grew large and strong in the Master.” How confident are you in Holy Spirit? Are you allowing Holy Spirit to lead and guide you fully? Had I not shared what I felt Him speaking and acted in bold faith, the people at St. Luke’s would not have received their healing that night. Let this be an encouragement to you to always speak and act boldly what God is leading you to do, even if it seems crazy. God blesses us for our obedience and He also blesses others through us!!! May we always be known by Father as those who are full of Holy Spirit, bold in faith, and confident in His ways!!!